Refrigerator



B. C. VON PLATEN ET AL April 17, 1928.

REFRIGERATOR Original Filed Aug. 4, 1923 INVENTOR; 51/," 74M; 45M

ii/1110mm Patented Apr. 17, 1928. i

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BALTZAR CARL VON PLATEN AND CARL GEORG HUNTERS, F STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, ASSIGNORS TO ELECTROLUX SERVEL CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

REFRIGERATOR.

Original application filed August 4, 1923, Serial No. 655,768. Divided and this a'pplication'flled April 1,

. 1926. Serial No. 98,951.

This application is a' division of our co- The condenser is connected with an evaporapending application Serial No. 655,768 filed tor G, which constitutes the refrigerating 65 August 4, 1923, Pat. No. 1,620,843. member, by means of a conduit 12 in which he invention relates generally to refrig-- there is a liquid seal U. \Vithin the evapcrating systems of the absorption type and orator is a perforated distributor 1 which more specifically to refrigerating systems of connects with conduit 12 and through the the kind including a generator, a condenser, perforations of which liquid ammonia is in- 00 an evaporator and an absorber forming a troduce'd into the evaporator. lVithin the circuit for a volatile cooling agent, the reevaporator there is preferably placed means frigerant, which is abstracted from solution for dlstrlbutmg and dividing the liquid coolby heat, condensed, evaporated in the pres- 111g agent over a large surface, For thi cnce of an auxiliary agent, absorbed by abpurposethere is shown a series of tubular 6 sorption liquid and again abstra ted from cells F which communicate with each other solution. v at the top and at the bottom and which are 15 A t th various bj t f our in provided with perforated bottoms H. These vention are: to provide a practical highly cells contain a porous or fibrous material efficient refrigerator without moving parts; which may consist of metalwool or cut- 7 to cause automatic and effective circulation g of absorption liquid between and through The evaporator G 18 connected to the abthe generator'and the absorber by the-di- Sorber A by means f o d it M d N t li ti f h t t a t a f li WlllCll may be arranged, as shown, to form a uid flowing from the absorber to the gen raheat exchanger. This 1s done in the exam- 7 tor; to provide a highly eflicie'nt refrigerator pie .SlIOWn by having pipe M pass within which is supplied with heat exclusively and pipe N. P pe M connects the top ofthe di tl b th b i f d t absorber with the top of the evaporator vide a generator arrangement which" is parn pipe N Connects the bottom of the evapticularly effective for the circulation f li orator with the lower part of the absorber. B0 uid between the absorber and generator and The absorber is enclosed in tank B d i for the vaporization of the cooling medium. also COOIBd by t ng u d flowing Further objects, novel features and adgh he Same. a

, vantages of the invention will be appar- The generator K and absorber A are cut as the description proceeds, which is terholmected y means. f p p L and P presented with reference to the accompany which, as shown on the drawing, may be drawi in whi h, lii r 1 shows 51 arranged to forma heat exchanger. Pipe 35 complete refrigerator embodying. one form L 1195 Wlthin pip P and extends from the f inv tio a d Fi r 2 shows a lower part of the "generator to the upper modified embodiment of the invention. p r Of h absorber Where it minate in Referring more particularly to Figure 1 a perforated distllbtltOl Like the evap- K designates a generator which contains the 'f the absorber preferably a n d s- (0 li t, f r i tan ammonia, 11 tributing means such thetubular cells solved in a suitable absorption liquid such W p rf rat d bot oms H containing as water, Obviously any of arious ubdistributing material P COIlIleCtS stances ay b d as li t, d, the lower part of the absorber with the upin describing the apparatus as using amp r part of the generator and is composed 45 monia, it is to be understood that this is of three parts, the member T which is made by way of example only. in the form of a coil and is situated within Ammonia vapor is abstracted from the the gcnerator,.the part 14 which connects solution 10 in the generator and passes the lower end of the coil with the absorber through conduit 11 into the condenser C in and the part 15 which connects the upper which the vapor is condensed due to the end of the coil with the upper part of the cooling effect of a cooling fluid such as wagenerator. The coil T is; concentric with ter, which is caused to circulate through flue 2'and surrounds the same and is in close 1 the tank B in which condenser C is placed. contact therewith. Flue 2 extends from the bottom of the generator upwardly through the liquid space 10 and has its outlet to one. side of the generator at 16. Preferably, though not necessarily, a jacket or coating of heat insulating material 19 may be provided on the outer side of coil T.

Directed into the lower opening of fine 2 is a burner 1 which may be connected to any gas supply line by means of thimble 20.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

Gas is supplied to burner l and mixed with air in known manner for combustion. The gas is ignited and the gaseous products of combustion pass up through line 2 causing the flue 2 to become a source of heat for the generator andfor the circulating coil T. One of the great advantages of a refrigerator which operates on gas is the low operating cost thereof. Heretofore all successful automatic domestic refrigerators have been dependent upon electricity as a source of en ergy. Our invention provides a practical refrigerator for domestic use operable on gas as the sole supply of heat or other form of energy wherefore it makes possible a distinct and large saving in economy. The efficiency of the apparatus herein disclosed is not, however, due to the use of gas alone nor the provision of an apparatus adaptable to to use gas alone, but also in the unique arrangement of parts wherein direct transmission of heat from the source as well to the circulating coil T as to the absorption liquid 10 is obtained. The coil T is placed between the source of heat .and the absorption liquid 10 and in close contact to the flue .2 so that there is direct transmission of heat through metal from the burner gases to the liquid within the coil. Heating of the liquid in coil T causes a circulation between the generator and the absorber, the circulation being from the lower part of the absorber through pipe 14 through the coil T and through pipe 15 to the upper part of the generator. The pressure in the generator and the HbSOIi'IGl' is substantially the same. The liquid level in the generator is higher than the liqu d level in the absorber. The decrease of density of the liquid in coil T due to heating of the same causes the upward movement of liquid through pipe P from the lower level in the absorber to the higher level in the generator. Liquid flows back from the gen-,

erator to the absorber through pipe L. The jacket of heat insulating material 19 serves to impede transfer of heat from the coil T to the solution 10 and, as is obvious, the more intensely the liquid in coil T is heated, the

'more intense is the circulation between the generator and the absorber.

Heating ofsolution 10 causes ammonia vapor to separate out from the solution. The ammonia Vapor passes through conduit 11 into the condenser C. In condenser C the vapor is condensed and passes on through conduit 12 and liquid seal U to the evaporator. The liquid ammonia entering the evaporator is spread over the distributing material I) by help of the perforated distributor I. The evaporator is supplied with an auxiliary agent such as hydrogen into which and in the presence of which the I ammonia dill'uses and evaporates. This process of diffusion of the cooling agent into the auxiliary agent (which obviously entails diffusion of the auxiliary agent into the cooling agent). results in evaporation of the cooling agent and abstraction of heat from the surroundings of the evaporator without however necessitating a drop in actual total pressure. 'l'hus refrigeration is produced. The ammonia gas and hydrogen mixed in the evaporator flow downwardly therein and through pipe N into the lower part of absorber A.

In the absorber the gas mixture comes into contactwith weak absorption liquid supplied thereto from the generator K through pipe L and distributor O, that is, with liquid in which there is little or no cooling agentdissolved. By this grouping of the gaseous mixture and the absorption liquid, the result is an absorption or dissolving of ammonia by water and a liberation of hydrogen. Now, since hydrogen is very much lighter than ammonia, it Will be seen that the weight per unit volume of gas after being freed from ammonia in the absorber is very much less than the weight ofgaseous mixture per unit volume formed in the evaporator. Therefore, with a suitable interconnection of the evaporator and absorber. one example of which is shown in the drawing and above described, there will be a preponderance of downwardly directed gravitational force prodm-ed-in the evaporator which causes antomatic circulation of gas between and through the evaporator and absorber. The hydrogen passes upwardly in the absorber and through pipe M into the upper part of the evaporator where it. is again mixed with the. heavier ammonia vapor and is carried downwardly as part of the mixture through pipe. N to the lower part of the absorber in which ammonia is forced into the solution and the lighter hydrogen is freed, and again passes upwardly into the absorber. There is thus established an automatic circulation of gas bet ween and through the evaporator and absorber.

From the above description it will be seen that there are three cycles of circulation in the apparatus one for the ammonia through the generator, condenser, evaporator and absorber; a second, for the auxiliary agent, hydrogen, through and between the evapor: tor and absorber; and a third for the absorption liquid between and through the generator and the absorber. The present invention is more particularly concerned with the last named circulation but the complete apparatus makes possible the use of the novel arrangement shown in that it is the complete arrangement which provides constant pressure in all the parts so thatan effective operation can be obtained from our novel liquid circulating arrangement. I

, Figure 2 showsa modification wherein the coil '1 instead of being arranged around fine 2 is arranged within the same. lhe purpose cific embodiments. Many variations falling within the spirit and scope of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains.

Having described our invention, claim is:

1. A refrigerator comprising a generator, a condenser, an evaporator, an absorber, a gas burner, a coil, means to connect the upper part of the coil with the upper part of the generator, means to connect the lower part of the coil with the absorber, a conduit connecting the generator and the absorber independently of the coil, coil being so arranged with respect to the generator and the burner that there is direct transmission of heat through metal from the burner gases to liquid within the coil.

:2. A refrigerator comprising a generator,

what we a condenser, an evaporator, an absorber, a

flue extending within said generator, a gas burner directed into said flue,. a (2011, said coil and fine being concentrically arranged,

means to connect the upper part of the coil with the upper part of the generator, means to connect the lower part of the coil with the absorber, a conduit connecting said generator with said absorber independently of the coil, the coil being so arranged with respect to the generator and the flue that there is a direct transmission of heat through metal from burner gas within the fine to liquid Within the coil.

3. A refrigerator comprising a generator, a condenser, an evaporator, an absorber, a. flue extending within said generator, a coil surrounding said flue, means to connect the upper part of the coil with the upper part of the generator, means to connect thelower part of the coil with the absorber, a conduit connecting said generator with said ab- In this case the gases of Figure 2 may be used with.

part of the member the sorber independently of the coil and a burner directed into said flue.

4. A refrigerator comprising a generator,

a condenser, an evaporator, an absorber, a flue extending within said generator, a coil surrounding said fine and indirect contact therewith, means to connect the upper part of the coil with the upper part of the generator, means to connect the lower part of the coil with the absorber, a conduit connecting said generator with said absorber independently of the coil and a burner directed into said flue.

5. A refrigerator comprising a generator, a condenser, an evaporator, an absorber, a flue extending within said generator, a liquid containing member surrounding and adjacent means to connect the upper part of said member with the upper part of the generator, means to connect said member with the absorber, a conduit connecting said generator with said absorber independently of said member and a gas burner directed into said flue.

6. A refrigerator a condenser, an evaporator, an absorber, a

ber surrounding said flue and adapted to contain liquid, an insulating jacket surrounding said member, means to connect the upper with the upper part of the generator, means .to connect said member with the absorber, a conduit connecting said generator with said absorber independently of the member and a burner directed into the flue.

a condenser,

refrigerator comprising a generator, an evaporator, an absorber, a

gas burner, a liquid containing member,

means to connect the upper part of said member with the upper part of the generator, means to connect said member with the absorber, a conduit connecting the generator and the absorber independently of said member, said member being so arranged with respect to the generator and the burner that there is direct transmission of heat through metal from the burner gases to liquid within said member.

8. A refrigerator comprising a generator, a condenser, an evaporator, an absorber, a flue extending within said generator, a member surrounding and adjacent said flue and adapted to contain liquid, means to connect the upper part of said member with the upper part of the generator, means to connect said member with the absorber, a conduit connecting said generator with said absorber independently of said member, a gas burner directed into said flue, communications between the absorber and evaporator arranged to form a circuit, said circuit being arranged to contain vertically extending bodies of fluid of such nature that circulation is caused to take place within said circuit due to difcomprising a generator, 7

ference in specific weights of difl'erent vertically extending bodies and means to connect said condenser with said generator and: with said evaporator.

9. A "refrigerating system comprising a generator, a condenser, an evaporator, an absorber, a flue extending within said generator, a member sin-rounding and adjacent said flue and adapted to contain liquid, means to connect the upper part of said member with the upper part of the generator, means to connect said member with the absorber, a conduit connecting said generator with said absorber independently of said' member, a

gas burner directed into said flue, additional conduits for connecting the parts of the system together, said system including means for generating force Within the system and means to circulate an auxiliary agent due to said force through the evaporator and absorber in the presence of which a cooling agent evaporates.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afiix our signatures.

BALTZAR CARL VON PLATEN. CARL GEOBG MUN TERS. 

